On Friday, Oct. 15, West Liberty University (WLU) students were invited and encouraged to join their 2021 Homecoming court members and the Student Government Association (SGA) in cleaning up the neighboring town of West Liberty, W.Va., as an act of service. Following a week of Homecoming festivities, SGA wanted to encourage students to reflect on how they can give back to the campus community that has made all that the Hilltop has to offer them possible.

SGA’s Secretary, Maddie Linzy, a junior elementary education major, touched upon the idea that the Hilltop needs to be prepared, in a sense, to welcome back our alumni every year when Homecoming season rolls around; “Our Homecoming candidates, as well as all the other students here at WLU, are asked to give back to the community by aiding in our annual Town Clean Up event. It helps prepare our university for the return of our alumni. This initiative is not only to give back to the town and university, but also to increase school pride and spirit as well.”

As a Hilltopper, herself, when asked if she felt WLU should do more things with or for the town of West Liberty, Linzy went on to discuss how the state of, not only our campus, but our town should be something hilltoppers take pride in, citing how she would love to see more Town Clean Up Days brought to our greater campus community simply because of rewarding it is; “Aside from being proud of your campus and the town around us, when you know that you helped play a part in creating a safer, cleaner environment for everyone here on the hilltop, you get to feel the goodness that comes with it.”

Linzy also works as a student ambassador for WLU, so when asked how she felt projects like Town Cleanup Day impacted WLU and the greater campus community as a whole, she brought up how hypocritical it can feel when she’s giving a tour to a prospective student and explains to them how WLU is a dry, tobacco free, and no tolerance campus, yet at the same time walks them past stray garbage, empty beer bottles, and lost vapes; “It’s just embarrassing, really, especially when you’re in the position that’s supposed to offer these new students a transparent and honest point of view of our school while also encouraging them to come here. Past that, though, I think as an entire campus we need to rethink our relationship with the community that we share our home with. There are residents who live in the town of West Liberty who aren’t college students. Their houses do not deserve to have their lawns littered with trash, it’s just disrespectful.”

An annual Town Cleanup Day is just one small step, but a step nonetheless in direction towards an even more beautiful campus, stated perfectly by Linzy in her wish for the future of the Hilltop; “I want to see a change in the way the town is perceived. I want to see the school give back to the town that gives us so much.”